AN EXTREME-RIGHT group linked to racial violence is coming to Glasgow to recruit members and demonstrate against the city’s asylum seekers.
The London-based White Nationalist Party (WNP) is considered too right wing even by the British National Party (BNP), which yesterday said its members had been banned from associating with it.
Last month, WNP members were blamed for a spate of racially-motivated attacks in Northern Ireland, where a Muslim family were forced to leave their home in Armagh after attacks by baton-wielding thugs.
The WNP applied to Glasgow City Council for permission to hold its "Campaign against Asylum Seekers" in George Square next month, claiming 60 members of the party from all over the UK would be joined by Scots "fed up with asylum seekers draining vital medical and social services".
The council yesterday denied permission because another event had already booked the square, but the WNP’s Scottish representative, who identified himself as "Paul", promised the party would reapply this week.
"We believe no-one speaks for the people of Glasgow on this issue. A lot of ordinary people are angry that asylum seekers are taking their services," he said. "White people are under pressure, backs against the wall, but we do not want violence or confrontation. Our demonstration will be peaceful."
But the news that the WNP was seeking support in the city to "incite" racial tension brought a sharp reaction from representatives of Glasgow’s ethnic community. One said: "Glasgow is no place for these people and if they put 60 into George Square you can be assured Glasgow will put 6,000 - of all colours - against them."
Another activist claimed that city councillors and the police should deny the WNP a platform for racial intolerance.
Aamer Anwar, a human rights lawyer, said: "The city has an official policy that denies any group a platform for fascism and racism.
"This is an event aimed at stirring tension and if the city and the police do not resolve it, the community, both black and white, will use all means necessary to deal with it. Glasgow has a strong anti-fascism tradition."
Robina Quereshi, of Positive Action on Housing, an organisation which assists asylum seekers to integrate, said: "Glasgow needs emigrants. It is historically a city of migrants and if these people bring 60 people, we will bring 6,000.
"We don’t want their violent message."
The WNP has recently forged strong links with Ulster, where, in recent months, the party conducted a recruitment campaign, which was apparently popular among the disaffected loyalist community.
They have been at the forefront of a campaign to prevent the building of a mosque in Bleary, near Portadown, Co Armagh.
Asian families from Craigavon, Armagh, have been intimidated and an African man, who has lived in the province for 13 years, was recently attacked in the street as he watched a parade.
The WNP also distributed thousands of racist leaflets to homes and parked cars. One of their leaflet messages stated: "Ulster is forever British - Hang IRA scum!"
The party’s symbol is a Celtic-style cross, which draws on the colours of the swastika.
A police insider in Northern Ireland said: "They are poisonous and sinister and you do not want them in Scotland."
A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: "We refused permission for this demonstration; George Square was already booked."
It is understood that when the WNP reapplies, its application will be referred to the full council, which has the power to deny them the right to demonstrate.
A spokesman for the BNP added: "These people are extremists and our members are prohibited from associating with them. They were not even allowed to register as a political party because of their name.
"We do not want links with such groups at a time when we are achieving political credibility with vot ers and moving away from the erroneous stereotypes."